Gleaning
by Autumn Dusk
Summary: Lena and Bit Lena's POV How come you have to leave? You have everything here food, shelter, security... I was about to add me but I stop in time. I have to leave, can't you understand, Lena? I need to see what's out there besides this place...


**A.N:** My first Zoids fanfiction story ever. :-) I won't ask you to not flame me for lack of knowledge of the show but just to keep in mind that it's been at least 2 years since I've seen the show.

**NOTES:** (N1); this is **NOT **a story based on the Zoids season with Fiona and Van in it. This story is based on the season **before**, with Lena and Bit in it. (N2); There may be some OOCness (Out Of Character) in Lena and Bit, however I will try my hardest to keep them both in character even though I have not seen the show for at least 2 years. (N3); I _have_ seen the ending to the Lena & Bit season but I was fairly disappointed with it so this is my add-on to how I think the season should have ended. (N4); This story is written through Lena's POV (Point Of View). (N5); **Gleaning**: collecting, gathering.

**DISCLAIMER:** Zoids belongs to its respective owners.

_**Gleaning**_

"Bit."

He doesn't see me at first. When I clear my throat loudly and cross my arms across my chest, tapping lightly with one foot, he turns; looking startled and jumpy.

Then he sees me standing there and his face relaxes into a wide smile.

"Hey, Lena."

I think about how it's just like him to pretend that _nothing_ at all was wrong, how even though he **knew** how upset I am, he still likes to act as if everything is alright.

It's not.

"Lena?"

I give an incomprehensible shrug that's out of place in this semi-conversation before looking up at him. His blue eyes are crinkled up in slight concern as he gazes down at me in return.

"You okay?"

I hesitate.

"Yeah...fine. I just heard you were leaving, that's all."

His head pulls back in shock and he blinks rapidly for a few minutes before seemingly pulling himself back together and looking down at me again.

"Brad and the others told you?"

I give a small nod, staring unseeingly at the ground.

"Ah..." He gives a small sigh and it makes me realize just how different we have become under these circumstances. How strange it would have looked to Brad or my father if they had been passing by. I look back up at him and I see his eyes focused on a point above my head, gazing at something that's not there. He's off in his own world again, thinking of something else that is completely unrelated to the subject at hand and I wonder what he's thinking of this time. What is it this time that makes him have the small look of longing shining in his eyes? I think of this and it gives me a small ache deep inside me when I think that it's probably not me.

"Bit."

He gives a tiny jerk and I watch as his eyes slowly lower themselves back onto my face.

"Hm?"

I want to control myself but I've never really been very good at controlling myself. My hands shake violently and I shove them into my pockets.

"How come you have to leave? What's wrong with staying here? You have **everything** here; food, shelter, security..." I was about to add "me" but I stop in time.

"...and the team." I say instead quietly, once more looking down at the floor.

He's silent, broodingly so, and I take his lead, keeping silent as well.

And then he gives another sigh and I cannot tell what it is of. Impatience? Anger? Grief? I cannot understand and I am not sure if I really want to.

"Lena. I'm really sorry. But you don't understand-"

My temper flares up. "What **don't** I understand?" I ask him heatedly, "I don't really think there's **anything** here to understand. You're leaving for no apparent reason and-"

"Lena."

I pause and look at him steadily. "What?" I wait for an excuse, a stupid reason why he's leaving.

He looks serious and sincere when he speaks again, a rare expression seen on his face. "I need to leave. I know I'm leaving a lot behind but I need to, can't you understand? I can't stay in one place forever. It'd kill me. I need to see what's **out** there. I can't just...I can't just stay here when there is so much more for me just waiting for me..." He trails off, looking unsure of what to say next. An uncomfortable silence falls between us.

I clear my throat uneasily before breaking the quiet.

"I...understand", I say this resignedly and he glances quickly at me. Resignation was not something that I normally felt nor showed.

"I can't...I can't stop you from leaving and...if you want to leave...then", I falter, "then...leave. I don't care!" I turn my back on him, not wanting him to see my eyes which were suddenly burning with unwanted tears.

He's silent for a while. Then I hear his footsteps thudding heavily on the ground. I think that he's walking away and I want to scream out at him but instead, his footsteps come closer and closer to me before coming to a stop. I see dust drifting up lazily from his feet.

"I'm sorry", he mumbles this and I turn back to him, my eyes still burning.

"So am I." I don't want you to leave, I want to say. I think I love you and...and if you leave, how will I ever be able to tell you? I'm not ready...I'm not ready to tell you now.

But I don't say anything after that. His hand shifts a little by his side and it seems as if he was about to reach out and touch my shoulder but he seems to think better of it and his hand falls back down to hang loosely by his side.

"When are you leaving?" I suddenly ask and he gives a small shift as if he were surprised at my sudden question.

He recovers quickly though and replies with a bit of apprehension. "The day after tomorrow."

I am startled by the abrupt date. "You work quick."

His face turns away from me as if he realizes how thrown I am by the sudden date.

"Yeah...well, I thought it was better not to stay around here any more than necessary." Here. It's not home to him anymore. Perhaps it never was.

"You were right." It hurts to say it because he **wasn't **right but he wanted to be...he wanted to be right so badly.

He looks back at me almost pleadingly.

"You understand, don't you, Lena? You understand, right?"

I don't and I didn't want to but I nod anyway.

"I understand."

_**Finis**_

**A.N: **So...what do you think? :-) Good or bad? Please review! I am anxious to hear your comments!


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